Explore the early strategies of the ancient game of Shuang Lu through classical Chinese poetry

Abstract

Shuang Lu, also known as Ban Sugoroku, is an ancient board game from China. It is believed to have been transmitted along the Silk Road in the 3rd century. While there are numerous references to Shuang Lu in Chinese anecdotes, legends and literary works, there is little literature detailing the rules of the game. Shuang Lu is also depicted in classical Chinese poetry, which mainly describes the enjoyment of the game. This paper aims to analyse the content of the Han poem Xi Jiang Yue: Da Shuang Lu Li in the Southern Song literature, Shilin Guangji. Through the analysis of the poem, the study seeks to explore the initial strategies of Shuang Lu derived from classical Chinese poetry.